Since then, I had replaced every major appliance in the house from oil burner to microwave oven. However, the refrigerator was the one exception. The model I had was a 1986 GE 22 cubic foot energy hog that I just knew was sucking up the juice. I decided to find out how much that old model was costing me.

The new refrigerator’s up-front cost will be recovered in fewer than five years and after that it is money in the bank. Go to the calculator linked above, enter your electric rate (view your bill or use the state average) and your old model, and see how much you can save.

Just another example of how we can help save the planet AND make money doing so.

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I was rather startled to read that in my latest power bill that my household’s electricity use was 95% less than the average for the region. Now, granted, I live alone, so that explains a big part of it, but even so I’d have to be using something like 20% of the per-capita average.

And that’s in a rental place that came with rather energy-inefficient appliances (my main thing is that everything is turned off at the wall except when in use, and there’s not much plugged in even at peak times). It obviously is quite possible to cut down on your bill.

In some countries, it is quite simple to switch to 100% renewable energy supply. Look into it with your electricity supplier (or check out the national market). In the UK for instance, there are two companies who will provide 100% renewable power. In Australia, a number of companies offer a 100% renewable option. I haven’t checked out the US.